


A Cafe with a Velvet Door

by Willowlark



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Minor Original Character(s), POV First Person, POV Original Character, Post-Canon, Shifting Focus, no beta we die like men, this is an experiment for sure, where are they now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-22 17:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30042060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowlark/pseuds/Willowlark
Summary: A series of connected stories from the POV of a girl who works at Ren's Cafe and is in the loop of just who Ren is, giving us a glimpse of where the Phantom Thieves are now, years after their first adventures...
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 9
Kudos: 40





	1. The Girl

When I was a little girl, there were nights I would wake up at night and the world would be tinted green. The first time, I hide under my covers and waited for my parents to come running in and wrap me up in their protective arms. They didn't come for what felt like forever, until the green light suddenly disappeared and everything had gone back to normal. I ran sobbing into my parent's room to find them still asleep. I dove into their bed and cried, trying to blubber out what happened while crawling between them. They told me it must have been a bad dream, though they held me the rest of the night. 

By the end of the night, I believed my parents. 'It must have been a bad dream, and I had nothing to fear', I told myself all through school that day. I fell asleep the next day shortly after sunset and slept blissfully through the night. I thought it was over after that. A few weeks later, I woke up in the middle of the night again and the same green light consumed the house. This time I ran straight for my parent's room, only to find two coffins resting on their places in bed. I had nothing to do but cry and wait. Eventually, the light again disappeared and my parents were awoken by my tears. 

This kept happening, anytime I stayed up. Sometimes my parents would stay up with me, but they'd become a coffin as soon as the light turned green. I was taken to therapy, doctors... But they had no answers. No one could answer what was happening until... It just stopped, sometime around a year after the first time it happened. I don't know if my parents ever resented me, or thought I was a liar over it... they always seemed to support me through it. I'd ask them if they were still alive, but they died a year after that in an accident. 

The point of my story is that I have always been attuned to... strange forces. Things that go on that aren't quite in human understanding. They aren't always big things, like the green moon either. Sometimes, especially in the last few years, I'll see a person with yellow eyes. Every person I've seen with yellow in their eyes tends to be... not the greatest of person. It's best exemplified with one person, Masayoshi Shido. The very same one that almost became Prime Minister a few years back, and was targeted by the Phantom Thieves of Hearts for his misdeeds. 

Of course, I'm not a Phantom Thief or even the slightest bit brave. I see yellow eyes and bolt in the other direction, or stammer through an awkward conversation before excusing myself as fast as possible. I'm sure that... somehow, the yellow eyes are related to the Phantom Thieves in some way. I'd ask them, if I could. Maybe they'd know what I see is... and maybe how to stop seeing it. 

I've never told anyone else about my little theory though. No one to tell, since my parents died I've been passed around relatives as 'the creepy child', and the less I talk the less trouble I find myself in with them. Moving all the time has made finding friends hard too. I certainly wouldn't tell the police, as a fan of what the Phantom Thieves are out to do.

I've mostly accepted what I am, at this point. A little unusual, in a way no one would understand. I don't bring it up, I don't act strangely, and I can lead a semblance of a normal life. I ever have a few friends at Shujin Academy, my most recent school. The aunt I'm staying with now is a career woman and doesn't talk to me much, which works fine. I've recently been optimistic that I could finish High School out at Shujin without another transfer. 

But, in the words of my literature professor, little did I know my so-called gift would get me into trouble here in Shibuya.

\---

There's a cafe, on my way home from Shujin. It's a bit of an urban legend around the school, and I kind of understand why. It's a hole in the wall place, called "Arsene". It has a solid wood door that's painted head to toe in solid royal blue. The rest of the building, all a typical backstreet cafe of beige and brown, but the blue door marks the cafe from halfway down the street.

That's just about the building itself. There are only two people ever seen working in that cafe. (Though I should clarify, not a single student spreading these rumors has bothered to go inside.) The first is a man in his mid twenties. He's got long black hair with bangs that reach his glasses and is always wearing an apron. Beyond that, no one knows a thing about him. Not a real thing, anyway. There are rumors he's a former killer, rumors that he's a pop star in hiding, rumors that he's secretly dating a senior in class three... All sorts of stories surround him (many started by girls who are into his look), but the second person is even more interesting. 

Well, mostly because while I say it's a person, it's actually a cat. There's a black cat with a yellow collar that seems to own the cafe with the man. Anyone brave enough to peer through the windows has spotted the cat and man seeming to talk, the cat meowing when the coffee is at the right temperature, and the cat calling out to comment on the tv or when the man gets a phone call. There's one girl in class two who insists that the cat is a warlock whose been cursed to live as a cat for 100 years, but her theory is universally ignored. 

Regardless, Cafe Arsene gets talked about a fair bit around Shujin. No one seems to want to prove any of the rumors about the place and its owner (owners?) true, they just want to enjoy making up new nonsense about the place. It's harmless fun, in my mind, and I rarely pay attention to it.

However today, I decided to take a shortcut past the main road on my way home. It rained all morning, and there are puddles all over the place. It's just my luck then, that a campaign truck comes driving past and soaks me head to toe in dirty street water. I'm left sputtering and drenched at the entrance to Cafe Arsene's street. I clutch my bag to my chest and decide to get some exercise in when I hear a meow from behind me. 

I turn to look up at the mysterious owner of the cafe. He looks down at me, soaking like a stray dog, while his cat meows and meows into his ear from the bag he has slung over his shoulder. 

"I own a cafe, on this street miss. If you'd like, I should have a towel for you to dry off..." He says. He's got a softer voice than the rumors say. I blink a few times. Not anywhere near what I expected him to say. The cat meows again and earns itself a look from its owner. The man reaches up and adjusts his bangs. 

"Come on then, you'll catch cold," he says before walking down the street. I follow him... mostly on autopilot. He's got a certain air about him, one that feels... right. It's not part of my special gift, but at least feel like I'm not walking to my death. He unlocks the big blue door and steps inside, a bell jingling as he does. The interior is... probably too expensive for my meager allowance, even if I wasn't dripping everywhere. I wait in the entranceway, taking in the dark oak counter and tables, the rows of coffee beans on the tall shelves behind the counter (along with bottles of alcohol? This place must be a bar too), and the gold trim around the furniture. 

The owner drops his bag on the bar counter, the cat extracting itself without prompt as it continues meowing at the owner. The owner heads up a set of stairs in the back, leaving me alone on the ground floor. Having taken in the decor I turn my attention to the cat. 

"You're a talkative little guy, aren't you?" I say to the cat. It... tilts its head down at me, as if it was judging me. "Sorry, just a talkative guy?" I correct myself. The cat lifts its head and steps closer on the countertop, allowing me to pet it. I breathe out audibly as I pet... his fur. No wonder the cafe owner talks to him, it's almost like he understood me. 

The stairs in the back creak again and the owner comes down with a towel and a folded up jacket. He comes up and hands me the towel first. 

"If you'd like, you can take this as well. It's probably close to your size, one of the many my girlfriend has left here."

"I couldn't..." I reply, pausing from toweling off to put my hands up to protest but he gives me an aside glance and I find the words die in my mouth. 

"Don't worry, she'd have my head if I didn't offer you something." He says. I find myself nodding and he places it on the counter near me. He walks around the bar. "A cup of coffee for you? It's on the house."

"Um..." I look around the place. It's empty asides from us and his cat so I don't think I'll be in the way... And if he wanted to kill me like all the rumors say he does, he already had every opportunity. "Okay."

"How do you take it?"

"S-sweet," I stumble over the word halfway through, wondering if that's offensive to a high-end coffee place like this. He doesn't seem bothered by it though, instead pulling beans from the shelf and going about his work. I catch a glimpse of the cat again. He's looking at me funny, with his head tilted slightly. "I'm fine, kitty, just stuck in my thoughts," I tell him. He... well, I'm pretty sure he rolls his eyes though I don't know if a cat can physically do that. "Oh, I'm sorry I called you kitty. I don't know your name yet."

"It's Morgana," the man says from the other side of the room. "And don't mind him. He's a bit oversensitive." The comment earns the man a yowl from the cat. Not stopping to question the oddity of that exchange, I step my dried off self into the cafe proper.

"I'm sorry Morgana," I say before putting on the jacket. Morgana meows approvingly and the yowls again in the owner's direction. I make my way to the other side of the room where the owner is using some kind of equipment to brew the coffee. "I... don't even your name either, Mr?"

"Ren Amamiya," he says without looking up. 

"Thank you for your hospitability, Amamiya-san. And for your girlfriend's as well." He flashes me a quick smile and nod as the coffee starts to fill the mug he's prepared. I sit at the bar near his equipment, watching him move with practiced hands. I don't know if it's the smell of coffee (and... is that curry?) in the air, the decor, or how fitting Amamiya-san looks behind the bar, but a question rises to my lips before I realize it. 

"May I ask you a question, Amamiya-san?" He nods. "Why is your door that color blue? It doesn't match any of the decor inside." A smile crosses his face, the smile that comes from having to answer the same question day in and day out. There's no trace of exasperation in his voice as he replies though. 

"The door represents... A different place. I chose to make my door the same color so that if there's anyone walking by who visited that same place, they'll know they have a friend here."

"What... What kind of place is it?" Amamiya-san only smiles at me. He hands me a mug of coffee, not quite as beige in color when I make some for myself. I don't want to be rude though so I take a sip. It's... heavenly. 

"This is... Amazing, Amamiya-san!" I say. He leans back, smiling with his hands in his jeans pockets. 

"Cuban Crystal Mountain, if you ever want to order it somewhere else." I nod. It's nutty and sweet and perfectly sweetened. It's warm too, I can feel the last dredges of my encounter with the truck evaporating off of me. The bell on the front door rings and another customer enters the cafe. Amamiya-san moves down the counter to greet them and I'm left alone with my coffee. I don't bother him with further questions, instead watching him work and in fact, take an order for curry from the other customer. 

My coffee's empty far too soon for my liking. I'm tempted to ask for another, but I don't want to take advantage of Amamiya-san's hospitality. I feel like if I asked him now he'd assume it's because I need it to warm up, and not simply because it's the best cup I've ever had. I can always come back, especially now that I've seen every rumor about the place is nonsense. Well, except the one about talking to Morgana, but to be honest I understand. He's interesting to talk to, even if he can't reply back. I gather my things and make for the door.

"Get home safe now," Amamiya-san says as I reach the door.

"I will. Thank you Amamiya-san," I bow politely and make my way back out into the street. I'll still be home long before my aunt, but I'd rather not be out after dark.

\---

The following Saturday I came home to find a note from my Aunt on the refrigerator. It read, effectively, "I'll be gone all weekend and you're on you're own for food". It also had a handful of things in there about making sure not to have people over or anything that would inconvenience my Aunt even indirectly, but it's shorter a note that I would have gotten from my previous guardians.

I didn't expect my Aunt, career-focused as she is, to be any different than the other... shall I say disinterested guardians I've had over the years. I make my way to the fridge, open it, and find it empty of anything but the staples. I sigh. I doubt she left money for groceries, I usually have to remind her to give me anything, and she rarely shops for herself. 

I weigh the options I have as I change out of my school uniform into a more comfortable sweater and jeans. As it happens, through my open bedroom window I can smell curry, of all things. A quick peek confirms the downstairs neighbor is cooking some. That reminds me of the Cafe, and Amamiya-san making curry for another customer. I decide it's a sign and that I'll make my way back to the cafe tonight. My Aunt won't miss me after all and my options are limited at home after all. I glance back out the window as I gather my things, estimating by the color of the setting sun that I should be able to make it there before evening. 

\---

The blue door is far less intimidating now and I push it in softly. The bell on the door rings through the Cafe and I take a look around. There's an older couple in the back booth, but the Cafe is otherwise empty. Amamiya-san stands behind the counter, washing a coffee mug and looking right at me. He may not be the rumors say he is but something about the way he glances at me does give me a little bit of a chill. Once you look past his unassuming attire and hairstyle, he's got some piercing features. 

"Ha...Hello, Amamiya-san," I say. 

"Welcome, have a seat," he replies quietly, motion to the counter in front of him. I take the seat he points at, wondering if I'm even allowed in here after dark since Amamiya-san serves alcohol. I should probably check, I don't want to get Amamiya-san in trouble. 

"Am I going to get you in trouble for being here after dark?" 

Amamiya-san turns from his coffee equipment with a smile on his face. 

"No, of course not."

"Oh, good..." I breathe out. "Um... I won't take up any space if you get busy though, I promise. I needed dinner plans and I remembered you make curry here so..." Amamiya-san chuckles lightly.

"I doubt I've ever been busy enough to fill all these seats, you won't have to leave until you're ready." Amamiya-san hands me a cup of coffee and I can't help but take a sip immediately. It's hot, but it's the same heavenly blend as last time. 

"This is amazing once again Amamiya-san, thank you!"

"Is the house curry fine for you?" He asks, only smiling at my compliment. 

"Oh yes, please don't trouble yourself over me!" That garners another chuckle from the dark-haired man.

"This is a Cafe, I wouldn't be doing my job well if I didn't serve you good food and drink." I wince into my cup.

"Sorry, I just..." I start to mumble but I'm cut off by Amamiya-san as he turns away from the stove and settles against the wall opposite me. 

"Nothing to worry about. You see the type that doesn't like attention drawn to herself, that right?"

"Ah," I pull my face out of my mug to face him properly. "Y, yes, I'd say that's accurate. You're quite the judge of character, aren't you Amamiya-san?"

"You could say I have a good grasp on the type of personas people have, yes," Amamiya-san says with a glance to Morgana. His paw is slapped on his forehead when I follow Amamiya-san's gaze. It's an odd way for a cat to clean himself, but what would I know? 

"That said... there's usually a reason for someone to avoid attention like that. You're too young to tell your woes to a true bartender but..." Amamiya-san takes a glass out from under the counter and starts cleaning it with a rag. "I've been a bartender before, so it's almost the same thing."

I grab my coffee mug a little tighter. It's a kind offer I suppose but I... Amamiya-san seems to read my mind and smiles. He puts the mug down and steps back into the kitchen to plate the warmed-up curry before presenting it to me. 

"The offer is always open." He steps away before I have the chance to thank him for understanding, going to pet Morgana for a moment and then talking to the other customers. I dig into the masterfully made curry and stew with my own thoughts. 

I know why I avoid attention, people eventually find out my past before I started hiding my 'abilities' and get creeped out by me. Most people are fine to utterly ignore someone who doesn't stand out, though apparently, Amamiya-san isn't. I guess Amamiya-san knew someone like me? The thought that he might know someone with my abilities is outlandish of course, but maybe someone who's a bit of a wallflower? The urge to ask wells up in me. Amamiya-san seems kind, and without a doubt the most relaxed adult I've ever met. If anyone would listen... Maybe it's him. 

I glance up, noticing he's returned to behind the counter. He's watching the tv in the corner of the Cafe, where a close-captioned silent news program is showing. I don't want to bother him since he seems interested in the report, so I finish my curry. 

The program goes to commercial as I take my last bite. Amamiya-san takes the plate from me, bringing it back to the sink before making his way back to the counter. 

"I, um." Amamiya-san waits patiently as I fumble the words in my head, avoiding eye contact. "I've just been bounced around relatives a lot, because of some things that happened when I was a little kid. I don't want anyone to um... pay a lot of attention to me because what happened usually gets out and the people around me start to treat me poorly." 

I finally look at his face, biting my own lip from my nerves. My heart sinks when I see a frown on Amamiya-san's face. He probably thinks I killed someone when I was a kid or stole things or... My mind races so fast I can't stammer out an apology and goodbye fast enough to keep him from replying. 

"I understand that," he says simply. As my frantic thoughts grind to a screeching halt, he continues. "I had a similar problem when I was in high school. I was falsely accused of a crime and had to transfer because of it."

"O, oh gosh..." my mind relaxes now that Amamiya-san has shifted the spotlight from me for a moment. "I didn't have anything that bad. I just..." I hesitate, then take a deep breath. "It'll sound stupid, compared to what you went through, I just said I could see things. Like coffins in the street every night, or yellow eyes in really bad people..." I cover my face with my hands. "God, this is embarrassing, I shouldn't have said anything."

"... Did you say yellow eyes?" Amamiya-san asks. It's an oddly pointed question, coming from him. I lower my hands from my face. 

"Umm... yeah. It's kinda stupid, but I swear I've seen it... Well, like the kind of people the Phantom Thieves target."

"That's..." Amamiya-san turns to look at Morgana, whose looking at him. Amamiya-san turns back to me with a soft expression. "A very unique talent." I laugh awkwardly. 

"No no, it's just an oddity in my head. People always get creeped out when they hear about it, I mean, I see things is usually a sign of a crazy person." Amamiya-san gives me a long look.

"At the very least, I don't think you're crazy. You're welcome here anytime." I don't have any word to reply with so I just nod once. He nods back to me and then walks over the other customers he has in the Cafe. He's... way too nice of a person, that's for sure. 

Morgana's looking at me from the other end of the counter while Amamiya-san makes small talk with the older couple. I can feel dread setting in at the idea of continuing the conversation when Amamiya-san comes back. He's done nothing wrong but I just really don't like the attention the conversation brings to me. I'm sure he'd respect me if I said I wasn't interested in talking about it but then I have to say that to him and that's intimidating in its own way... 

I take some cash out of my wallet and grab my jacket. When Amamiya-san returns to behind the counter, I hand him the bills. 

"Heading out?"

"...Y, yes," I reply, stuttering over my words again, hoping he doesn't think it's personal. 

"Be careful walking home, alright? It's after dark." He says with a smile when he returns my change. 

"I, I will." 

"Come back whenever you'd like." 

"I definitely will," I reply, pretty sure at this point I haven't offended him in half a dozen ways. I make my way out the door with a smile and small wave. There's a meow from under me as reach the door, and I spot Morgana making his way outside with me. I call out to Amamiya-san over my shoulder. 

"Is he allowed outside, Amamiya-san?"

"Oh don't worry about Morgana, he only got himself lost once," Amamiya-san calls back to me. Morgana yowls grumpily at my feet. 

"I'm sure he's just messing around, Morgana," I say as I open the door. Morgana hopes up on a sign Amamiya-san has outside the door, turning to face me. He nods a few times, as if to agree, then hops up onto a hanging flower pot and then the roof. 

"... What a smart cat, I say to myself before wrapping my coat closer around myself and making my way home. 

\---

After a quiet weekend and Monday of school, I find myself walking to my friend Arisa's cram school with her. She had asked me at lunch if I would walk with her and something about the way she asked made me accept, despite it being out of my way. Even now, her body language is full of nerves and stress; she's playing with a lock of her hair, fidgeting with her top, biting her lip, and looking anywhere but where we're walking. I gave up on conversation with her already, she's barely paying attention to me. 

I'm not sure what's up, but my guard is definitely raised as we approach the building. It's set in the middle of a city block, a building flanking it on either side. We come to a stop at the base of the stoop, only a few stone stairs separating us from the front door.

"You... You sure you don't want to just skip today? You don't look so good," I say in one last bid to get her to open up. She turns to me, finally giving me her full attention. She even has a nervous sweat going, which leaves me all the more concerned. 

"I, Um, I'd..." she stammers before she's cut off by a man in sunglasses walking down the street in the opposite direction. 

"If it isn't Miss Sato!" the man says. Arisa's body goes ramrod straight. "Did you bring a friend to class today? The more ideas, the merrier!" The apparent teacher is in his mid forties, salt and pepper hair, and looks pleasant enough. "We'll have to work extra hard to welcome her. Come on now, we haven't a moment to lose!" 

The man makes his way to the door and Arisa follows him, her body deflating. She looks so... defeated as she follows him up the stairs. He opens the door for her and she goes inside. He turns back to me. 

"Are you coming inside?"

"I, um..." Something weird is going on, but I can't say what. My normal policy would be to run, but my abilities aren't firing and Arisa seems like she could really use the moral support. "I'll be right there."

After I"ve climbed the steps myself, I see something I've never seen before. The doorway to the cram school is filled with a haze of reddish-purple mist that can't be normal. I poke it tentatively, and it's not harmful to me. I realize I must look mad as I stand there, poking the doorway instead of walking through. The teacher, tinted in the colors of the haze, turns around down the hallway.

"Is something wrong?" 

"N, No!" I quickly spit out. It's as I do so that I notice something about the teacher. He took his sunglasses off now that he's inside... and his eyes have a yellow tint to them. Already in the process of moving, panic fills my mind as the teacher turns and I step through the haze. 

\---

The interior of the cram school is tinted slightly with the reddish-purple of that... barrier, I'd call it. The teacher is gone, thankfully, leaving me alone in the hallway. I turn behind me but the front door has been replaced with barred prison doors. I spin on my heel, grabbing the bars.

"No no no..." The bars don't move as I pull at them. "This is bad, this is so bad, where the heck am I?" my voice rises in volume. I cover my mouth with a hand, I don't know if I wanted to be discovered by anything that's locked in with prison bars. 

Breathing heavily into my hand I turn to stare down the hall, frantically hoping an exit will appear. None does, but it gives me time to get my hyperventilating over with. I can't help comparing this to the coffins I would see as a kid, and the green-tinted world. It's a different tint, so maybe it has a different aesthetic? Can strange, alternate worlds only I can see have aesthetics? 

I shake away my thoughts and focus on what's in front of me. There are four doors in the hallway, and the hallway ends in a staircase to the next floor. There's got to be windows in the classrooms facing the street, I saw the windows from the outside. If those aren't barred maybe I can get back out of here. I move the door on my right, slowly creaking it open. 

Inside I see what I would expect at first, rows of students studying. It's not long before I realize they're all frantically writing a speed that doesn't look natural. It's then I look to the teacher's desk, where some kind of... strange, silhouette man with a featureless mask for a face is standing there instead of a human.

"Cram! Cram, so you may gain grades worth of our wise leader!" the thing bellows in a garbled voice. Terrified of it seeing me through the crack in the door I make to close it, only to hear it speak again.

"You there! Why are you not writing?!" The student it's talking to had dropped their pencil, from the looks of it.

"It was only a moment!" the student begged. His arms come up between him and the encroaching creature. 

"Every momentary thought you have belongs to our leader!" the creature bellows before extending its arm into a shadowy collapsible pointer. It swings at the boy, bruising his cheek and launching him across the room. I scream into my hand. and close the door. If that thing finds me it could break my neck, holy crap.

"Who just left?!" I hear shouting in the room. I panic and sprint for the stairs. I can't let that thing find me. I climb stairs after stairs, not evening noticing that the building in reality was only a few stories tall. I'm not being quiet and I can hear more voices gathering in pursuit of me. The echoing of feet pounding up the stairs after me rings in my ears and I keep running in hopes of finding something I can put between me and them.

my wish is somewhat answered when I turn the corner on another flight of stairs to see a door to the roof. I dive for it, pulling it open and slamming it close behind me. I look around for something to block it with but the roof is mostly empty. I don't have time to come up with another idea before there's pounding on the door. I shriek and run for the other side of the roof. I can hear the door being knocked completely off its hinges as I reach the end of the roof. I turn my back to a very long drop and facing what looks like a dozen of the shadow people. 

"You will not escape your duties!" the creature shriek in unison before they... collapse, combining together like they were made of water and forming a literal green slime monster. It's... not the most terrifying thing I've seen in the last 5 minutes, but it's up there and I scream.

"Seth!" I hear from over my head, literally. I look up only to catch a flash of black swinging towards the roof in front of me. A man in a black coat, red gloved hand reaching for his face stands before me with his back to me. Some kind of cable is whipping into the sleeve of his coat, retracting as a tape measure would. Above him is a velvet blue ghostly image of a black dragon, that's launching fire at the slime creature. 

This... This is a lot, and I don't blame myself when I stumble backward. I do, however, quickly realize I'm at the edge of a building and just stepped off the edge. I shriek as I begin to fall backward, my eyes clenching closed so I don't have to see the ground rush towards me. 

It's a moment before I realize I'm not falling. I peak open eye, only to see the masked face of the man in the black cloak. Despite the mask, I know who this is. Everyone does, from the tv broadcasts they do for high-profile targets. This is the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Joker. He apparently pulled me away from the ledge and held on until I realized I wasn't falling. 

"I, I, I'm sorry for screaming in your ear," I say, unsure where the associated thought came from. Joker grins and it sends a shiver down my spine. I guess I qualify under the 'all girls like bad boys' trope because the grin is terrifying and yet enticing. Joker releases his hold on me and I stand on my own. He looks me up and down.

"How'd you get here?" He asks and even his voice sounds just... criminal. Criminally enticing, but criminal.

"I um... saw this weird haze in the doorway and when I walked through it I was here," I say before realizing that sounds ridiculous. It elicits an even wider grin from Joker though. 

"Hmm. Very interesting," he says and the way he hangs on the word interesting is just... I had to say it again but there's no better way to describe it than a chill down my spine. The grin leaves his face after that though. "This place is too dangerous for you."

"I um... couldn't leave the way I came?" He nods back to me. 

"Who's this?" a rather high-pitched voice says from behind both of us. Joker doesn't seem alarmed so I don't panic as I turn around to see a... cat-shaped mickey mouse knock off. It the first thing that comes to mind at the thing waves about a miniature scimitar. 

"Someone very, very interesting," Joker comments as the cat thing looks at me wide-eyed. 

"J, Joker that's!" 

"Someone who needs to get out of the palace. Can you handle the ruler?"

"Well, yeah, but!"

"Later, Mona," Joker's tone implies there's no rebuttal, and apparently Mona respects that. The living mascot turns, then looks back at me, then dashes towards the door into the building.

"Shall we?" Joker extends his arm to me. I take it and he pulls me tight to him before the cable from before zips out of his other sleeve. It wraps around a decorative feature of the neighboring building before he jumps off the side of the building, letting the cable pull him and by extension me. I scream before realizing we're swinging in a controlled descent to the ground. Joker's arm around my waist is the only reason I don't fall to the ground as we land outside the cram school. 

"This place will disappear, momentarily," Joker doesn't look at me as he says it, instead watching a particular window on an upper floor. "You'll find yourself back in reality." His grappling hook has rewound in his sleeve and I assume he's headed after his partner. 

"Thank you! For saving me!" I basically shout out. He turns to me, grinning like a madman once again, before zipping into the sky. 

It's less than a minute after he disappears that the entire building starts to shake and the haze returns to my vision. I let the haze overwhelm my vision and with a soft rumble I find myself back in the real world. I fall to my knees, taking in the cram school without prison bars or monsters inside of it. Some businessman gives me an odd look but I can't bring myself to stand. What even... What even was that? 

Someone does decide to stop before me. The jeaned legs crouch down and Amamiya-san's face comes into view. He's got a serious look on his face and Morgana in a bag on his shoulder, the cat standing on his shoulder. 

"Are you okay there?" 

"Um..." I swallow and look around for my things. I dropped my bag at the door before I ended up in that other world, apparently. I avoid eye contact with Amamiya-san as I reply. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you..."

"I very much know where you just were." I slowly turn to Amamiya-san. There's not a trace of hesitation in his face, just like his voice. He extends an arm to me. He flashes a grin on his face, one I had seen moments before. 

\---

I had taken Amamiya-san's hand at that point and we made our way silently through the city. I could tell we were headed back to his Cafe, before long. I didn't know what to say, so I just followed. He unlocks the blue door to the cafe and motions me inside. I stand off to the side of the entrance, holding my bag close to me as Amamiya-san makes his way inside. As casual as ever, he starts brewing coffee. He gives me an aside look as he works.

"You can sit, you know." 

"I..." I lower my hands and drop my bag on the nearest booth. It frees them up so I can run them through the back of my hair and exhale deeply. 

"C, can I? Aren't you like... The most wanted criminal in Japan? For the last what, five years now?" I drop my hands from my hair, tensing up. "You're not going to like... change my heart, are you? Or..."

Amamiya-san only smiles at me, clearly amused. He pours coffee into a mug and motions in my direction with it, placing it on the counter in front of him. Assuming he wouldn't be offering coffee before he kills me, I tentatively walk up and take a seat on a stool. The coffee is delicious, which is a plus if I assumed wrong.

"I guess... you aren't going to do anything to me?"

"Of course not," Amamiya replies through his smile. "For one thing, you've done nothing wrong."

"But... I know your secret?" 

Amamiya-san grins like Joker, or I suppose, like himself. "It's never helped anyone catch us before." I shiver a bit. He's intimidating when the Joker part of him surfaces. No one's even seen his face, I don't think, in all the years the Thieves have been active. The best the public has gotten is silhouettes. It hasn't stopped people from making action figures, of course.

That said, Every part of the Joker persona, from the silhouettes to the way he speaks in calling cards, to the way he fought in that other place to his grin now feels Amamiya-san down to the core. I want to say it's Amamiya-san's true self, but I don't think that's quite accurate. It's close though, something core to who he is. It's intimidating to see the famous criminal with the attitude to match, but because it's still Amamiya-san I don't find myself as scared as I thought I would be. Plus, the Thieves are criminals in name only, no one can really call changing the heart of a real criminal a crime. 

"Come on, ask her already...!" I hear a completely different voice from Amamiya-san's whine. I look around wildly, not seeing anyone else in the Cafe. My gaze makes its way back to Amamiya-san and he points to Morgana. I turn to his cat and Morgana tilts his head at me.

"Amamiya-san, what..." I trail off as Morgana opens his mouth again.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mona from before, yes I can talk, no I'm not a cat," Morgana reads off in a monotone. "Now, how did you get into that palace?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Morgana, I think you broke her."

"How is THIS the weirdest thing she's seen today?!" Morgana exclaims... or is it yowls? Either way, he's clearly frustrated despite having a cat's face. I turn to Amamiya-san.

"Am I actually insane?"

"No, but you have caught our eye. You said you saw yellow eyes on people the other day, and you somehow ended up in Palace without any kind of assistance. Those are very unique abilities."

"Ah!" I remember the teacher back at the cram school. "The teacher! He had yellow eyes!" Morgana and Amamiya-san share a look before Amamiya-san replies to me, putting his coffee down. 

"I think... what you're seeing is the eyes of someone's shadow. Effectively, those yellow eyes mean their heart is warped or corrupted. Morgana and I were at the school to change that man's heart." I stare into my coffee. 

"That's..." Does that make me some kind of freak, or someone who's corrupted? 

"If anything, it's an early warning sign of someone you really don't want to be around," Amamiya-san continues softly. I give him an awkward smile in thanks. 

"What about that purple haze I walked through?" I ask him. He looks to Morgana again and Morgana shrugs his cat shoulders, which would be adorable in any other scenario. It's Morgana who ends up replying to me.

"We didn't see anything like that. The metaverse, err, where we were is always a bit hazy but nothing concrete enough to walk through." Morgana looks down at his paws, one tapping against the counter. "Perhaps you saw the border of the Palace? Basically, the edge of that place, since it was tied to the school."

I shrug, unsure of what he's saying.

"Have you ever seen that before? You mentioned the last time you were here there were other things you could see."

"Um... no, I haven't..." I reply, ignoring how weird it is to be holding a conversation with a cat. Morgana hums (or is it purrs?) and looks back to Amamiya-san.

"She's an odd one, that's for sure. Maybe Lavenza would know more but... She usually comes knocking when she has trouble brewing." Amamiya-san takes a sip from his own mug.

"Well. It's been a while since her last visit."

"E, Excuse me..." I pause for a second to wince, excuse me feels weirdly polite. "Whose Lavenza?"

"That's a very, very long story. One that we could get to another time." Amamiya-san face lights up like he's had an idea. "Speaking of... I have a deal for you." 

"A... Deal?" I feel myself tensing a little. 

"Work part-time at the Cafe." 

"Isn't that a job offer, not a deal?"

"It's both. You don't know anything about your abilities. They seem related to my extracurricular activities, and no one knows more about cognitive psience than the people I work with. You help me keep the Cafe open while I'm... indisposed," he winks conspiratorily, "and we'll help you figure out your talents."

Talents, he says... No one has ever referred to my abilities as talents... And I have said before the only people I thought would be able to explain them were the Phantom Thieves. I'm literally being served my pipe dream on a silver platter. My Aunt is never home and... well...

"Okay," comes out of my mouth before I quite realize it. Amamiya-san grins again. Morgana half laughs, half meows and I crack a small smile, knowing whatever happens next is going to be a wild ride. 

\---  
\---

This fic is... unique, for sure. If you've made it this far THANK YOU for reading through the odd style. I want to bring us a third party's viewpoint, while still having them in the loop of the Phantom Thieves to a degree. Our main character, intentionally unnamed is that third party and this is kind of... 'her' chapter slash introduction. From here she'll meet the other thieves as our POV character, learning about who the other thieves have become and what they do. She won't be the focus of this story, though she has a little myth arc of her own that will happen in the background as we explore the lives of the adult Thieves. I hope you'll stick around for this little experiment (^^) 

This is the longest chapter I've ever written for anything, so something about the format at least works for that LOL 

The next Chapter will be for meeting Ann! 


	2. Ann-san

I spoke to Amamiya-san more the first day I visited his cafe more than I did the first week I worked for him, despite working most of the days. That's not a bad thing, I don't think. I think my original impression was just off is all. I consider myself a quiet person as well, so I don't mind it at all. Small talk can be more stressful than any exam. 

Besides, Morgana fills the void enough for both of us. I quickly understood why he always seemed to be meowing all the time, it's because he's actually always talking. It's not... the most annoying thing in the world, but he does tend to hover whenever he thinks he can provide guidance. Which is a lot. Amamiya-san's been really good about making sure Morgana doesn't spend too much of his time 'helping' me, which I appreciate. 

Speaking of teaching... I expected to learn a lot when I started working here. The most sophisticated coffee I ever had came from Starbucks and I don't think that even qualifies, and I've never worked in a higher-end place like Cafe Arsene. My guess was Amamiya-san would want me to be fully capable of covering the cafe in case his... extracurriculars pulled him away as fast as possible. 

All my assumptions were way off. The first and foremost thing I learned was that Amamiya-san takes coffee very, very seriously. He spent well over an hour on my first day explaining to me every single piece of the equipment, and then the next day talking about the various beans. I didn't brew a cup till my third day around the Cafe, and I did so with Amamiya-san watching me like a hawk. He tasted the cup I brewed, and then gave me half a dozen pointers before asking me to try again.

Even now, a week into my new job, I've barely managed to brew one of the coffees he serves on his general menu. A few customers even seemed to order off a special menu too, so I can't imagine how many things I'm going to have to learn before I can properly run the shop. I half-joked about it to Amamiya-san at one point, but he only smiled and said "you can't rush good coffee." 

Honestly, it's a good thing Morgana felt the need to teach me all the other odds and ends of running the shop, such as where the cleaning supplies are and how to count out the register. If he didn't, I'd have spent half my time working for Amamiya-san watching him work, and that would have given me major anxiety. 

I haven't learned that much more about Amamiya-san's... extracurricular activities in the last week either. He actually doesn't seem very motivated to share about them, or even discuss my abilities. If I was doing all this just for answers, I'd be frustrated by that... But it's been nice, to be in a place with people after school. 

My Aunt is never home, now that I told her I got a part-time job at a Cafe. I guess what little she was around was actually her making an effort, and now that I have somewhere else to be she feels like she's off the hook. Meanwhile, between Morgana's constant chatter, the slow stream of customers that make their way through the cafe, and Amamiya-san's incredibly relaxing presence, I've found myself more at home here than I ever have at my Aunt's. 

Amamiya-san doesn't seem to mind if I stick around pretty late either. (Though I have noticed Morgana tailing me home when I leave late... Can't be sure if that was his idea or Amamiya-san's thought.) I've had dinner at the Cafe for the last few nights, which Amamiya-san calls one of the benefits of the job. 

I have at least learned that Amamiya-san lives in an apartment upstairs. He's told me there's no reason I can't come up if I need to, but I've avoided it whenever he heads up there. As calming as Amamiya-san's presence is, that still feels like his space and that I don't belong there. Not to mention he's mentioned his girlfriend before and I wouldn't want to be in his apartment when she comes by for the first time. 

All and all, the perks of working for Amamiya-san have been completely unrelated to our so-called deal, but they're worth it all the same. He seems like a pretty private person by nature but I am too, so I don't mind slowly learning about him (and his extracurriculars) by watching. Well, watching and Morgana blurting out this or that. 

"I'm going to deal with a few things upstairs, mind the shop for me?" Amamiya-san's voice interrupts my daydreaming. I lift myself from where I've been resting my head in my arms on the counter and nod. 

"Roger that, Amamiya-san." He nods in thanks and makes his way up to the apartment. It's still rather early for the cafe, school only letting out... My phone says 45 minutes ago. Amamiya-san customers tend to be an early evening crowd so I don't actually expect anyone to come in while he's upstairs. 

Knowing what I do of Amamiya-san, he knew that and it was the only reason he left me alone down here. Morgana hasn't even been around this afternoon, as a matter of fact. I asked Amamiya-san earlier and he said Morgana was doing some work for their other job, so I didn't ask anything more about it. It doesn't bother me, as time alone with Morgana would likely turn into another lesson about... something and I'm quite used to being alone. 

Thinking all this makes me all the more surprised when I hear the chime on the door rattle. I pick myself up from where I slouched on the counter in an attempt to look the part as an employee of Cafe Arsene. I make to greet the customer but she greets me first.

"Oh hey there!" An absolutely stunning woman stands in the doorway, a floppy sun hat resting on the handle of a rolling suitcase behind her. Her hair is wavy and light, naturally so. Her face is perfectly made up, not that her features need any makeup to be picturesque. She's dressed in a sundress with a worn-out bomber jacket for warmth and seems like she's recently been in the sun. Her smile is absolutely dazzling as she greets me, so I completely fail to respond to her. 

"Ren's mentioned he picked up a part-timer. I'm Takamaki Ann, nice to meet you." 

Ann makes her way over to the staircase in the back as I awkwardly stumble through the 'welcome to cafe Arsene' I had intended to say when she entered. She leaves the suitcase at the foot of the stairs, peaks up them, then turns back to me. 

"Is Ren here?"

"Um... Yes, yes he is. He said he was taking care of a few things upstairs," I reply as I find my voice again. Takamaki-san looks incredibly familiar, now that I'm not quite so enamored with her look. I can't quite place it though. The woman in question smiles lightly at me and puts her hands behind her back as she paces to the stool in front of me. 

"I'll let him be then, he'd never admit it but he hates breaking his focus when he's engrossed in something," Takamaki-san says conspiratorially. I make a note of that fact for later too. "So, what has he let you make around here?"

"Oh, um..." I turn around to reach for the bag of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans. "This is the only thing I'm allowed to brew at the moment." Takamaki-san laughs lightly.

"That sounds like Ren! Don't take it personally, he learned from a really strict teacher so he has a lot of respect for the art."

I try to imagine someone who could be strict with Amamiya-san, the actual person behind Joker, the country's most notorious sort of criminal. The image that comes to mind is the kind of person I would scream at the mere sight of. I shiver a bit.

"He must be a terrifying person then."

"Oh, no, Boss is basically Ren's Dad at this point," Takamaki-san says with a thoughtful finger on her cheek. Whatever face I made at Takamaki-san's words makes her laugh again. "I'm sure you'll meet him eventually, don't you worry! Just think of him as your Barista Grandfather or something!" From the way Takamaki-san called him Boss, I can't help if I should be calling him my Barista Godfather instead, but I get the feeling Takamaki-san is enjoying my confusion far too much to actually explain. 

"Well... Would you like a cup, Takamaki-san?"

"Sure! Oh, you can just call me Ann. Everyone does." That doesn't surprise me, given how cheerful Takamaki... Ann-san is, but it still makes me a little nervous. 

"Okay, I'll have it ready in a few minutes Ann-san." She nods in response. She doesn't try and continue our conversation which is wonderful, as brewing one of Amamiya-san's signature coffees for someone clearly very close to him is as stressful as it gets. I get the feeling she realizes this as she watches me quietly, smiling at each step I make in the process. 

While the coffee's dripping I have a little room for my mind to ponder something... She is clearly close to Amamiya-san... She could be his girlfriend? And why do I still feel like I've seen her before? Questions whirl in my mind and I almost lose track of the brew. I make it through without missing any of Amamiya-san's steps and serve Ann-san the coffee. I don't have time to ask her if she wants creamer or sugar before she takes a quick sip. 

"Hey! This is pretty good!" Ann-san exclaims. "You're a quick study, I bet Ren loves that." I can't help but flush at the compliment. "That said... While I wanted to try the brew on its own, I'mmm more of a cream and sugar kind of girl." I smile and bring her both. 

"I take mine the same way. Amamiya-san uses a different bean though."

"Oh? Which one?" Ann-san asks, putting her elbows on the counter and resting her head on her hand. 

"Cuban Crystal Mountain." I point it out on the wall behind me. 

"Oh, that's a good one. I didn't have too much of a taste for coffee before I met Ren, but you spend enough time with him and you can't help but pick stuff up."

"I can tell," I reply with a smile. Feeling empowered by her smile and comfortable aura, I ask, "This um, might sound strange, but have I met you before? You look incredibly familiar." Ann-san blinks. 

"I'm a model," she smiles. "You've probably seen me on the magazine rack of the convenience store."

Oh, OH! Now I recall, I was looking at a magazine with her on the cover just yesterday! Her hair wasn't in pigtails like it is today, but I can remember her face now! Which... which also means I'm talking to a model that's famous across the entire nation. I feel the compulsion to check my hair, in it's haphazard ponytail but I resist. 

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you earlier!" 

"Don't worry about it, I don't really care about fame or anything like that," Ann-san waves her hand before her like she could physically wave the idea away. "I didn't want you stuck thinking it was deja vu is all!" We both laugh a little at that. I lean back against the bean shelf like I've seen Amamiya-san do. 

"Did you just come back from somewhere? I couldn't help but notice your bag."

"Good eye! I was in Okinawa for the last week and a half. The magazines are preparing their big 'Summer is Here!' issues which means they need to get photos of the latest swimwear styles." Ann-san mocks a shiver like she's stepped into a freezer. "Which means us models have to go take photos in some very cold water!" 

I wince sympathetically. When she notices, she adds, "Well, it IS still Okinawa. It's not that bad."

"As long as it's not here in Tokyo I suppose?" 

"That's for sure!" Ann-san laughs again. "If it wasn't for the first issues of summer they could just do the shoots at a pool, but gotta have sandy beaches for the summer look."

I nod in agreement. That draws an amused expression from Ann-san but I can't really place why. It's quiet for a minute as Ann-san enjoys her coffee and I put the Jamacian Blue beans back. 

"Do you usually model swimwear then, Ann-san?"

"Hmmm... I don't really have a single thing I'll model." 

"Oh..." I remember the magazine I saw of her yesterday as I turn around. "That's right, I just saw you modeling evening wear in that magazine yesterday." Ann-san grins.

"Oh, I remember that shoot. That one was fun. By chance, did you look at the article itself, or just the cover?"

"I... only looked at the cover, then I was next line. Sorry, Ann-san."

"Nothing to worry about! I'll have to show you later." Ann-san's amused again, but I'm still not sure why. Either way, she's easy to talk to so I continue asking questions. 

"Well, while I'm putting my foot in my mouth," (Ann-san chimes in with a quick 'stop that' but she doesn't interrupt), "M...Might I ask if you're Amamiya-san's girlfriend? He's mentioned one a few times and you seem to have a history with him..." Ann-san's beaming like the sun, but I suddenly feel like she's been waiting for me to ask that.

"Wwwwwwhy? Are you jealous?" She says in a sing-song tone. I sputter despite myself, she's obviously messing with me but it's awkward all the same. 

"N, N, Nn, No!" Ann-san laughs so hard she's rocking on her stool as I stammer.

"Relax, relax! I just like to tease, given Ren's... well..."

"Re...Relaxing aura?" I comment in hopes I can distract her from her teasing.

"Yeah, that's a good word for it!" Ann-san's still grinning but at least she's not laughing anymore. "He's always had a way with people I don't even think he quite understands. It's attracted him a lot of admirers over the years."

"H... have you been together long?" I ask, the warmth finally dissipating from my cheeks. Ann-san's smile softens. 

"Since high school," she says lightly. "We went through a whole lot," she adds emphasis with her hands, "together and we've been together ever since."

"It sounds like quite a story."

"Unfortunately, one that can never be told," A masculine voice says. At some point, Amamiya-san snuck downstairs and behind Ann-san while I was hiding my embarrassment. He puts his hands on Ann-san's shoulders and leans over her.

"Welcome home," he says softly before kissing her. They kiss just long enough that I feel awkward for being here but not a second more. 

"I'm back." Ann-san breathes into his lips as they separate.

"Please don't scare off my first-ever part-timer with your jokes," Amamiya-san adds with a press of Ann's nose before he sits down in the stool beside Ann-san.

"Oh, I had to! I can't believe you didn't even tell her my name!" Ann-san pouts, her balled hands on her lap. I catch her wink at me before she turns her pout full force on Amamiya-san. Amamiya-san looks to the side and adjusts a lock of his bangs.

"It didn't come up is all."

You don't tell everyone who comes in here all about me?" Ann-san's relishing in this, I realize. I get the feeling she doesn't usually get the chance to prank Amamiya-san, if only because I can't imagine anyone getting one up on him after just a week working for him. My theory is proven correct when Amamiya-san stands suddenly, lifting Ann-san up by her waist and plopping her on the counter. He's just barely taller than her like that and leans right into her face as she flushes. 

"Of course not. I want to keep you all to myself," he murmurs in a tone that makes me flush, so I can't imagine how Ann-san is doing. Amamiya-san leans into her lips and they kiss again. He pulls away just before I decide I need to go make myself busy elsewhere. Ann-san pouts at him.

"You're no fun to tease." She hops off the counter to sit back on the stool. Ann-san blushes just a little as she addresses me. "Sorry about that. The long trips get longer every time." I try to smile reassuringly, though I'm sure I still have some secondhand flush on my own face.

"No problem, I understand. So..." I turn to Amamiya-san. "Why can't it be told?" Amamiya-san gives me a look that I can tell means he wants more details. "You said the story of what you went through when you met couldn't be told before."

"Ah, that..." Ann-san trails off, but Amamiya-san cuts her off. 

"Oh. Ann's one of the founding members of the Thieves. We met during the first heist."

"..."

"..."

Ann-san and I both frantically triple-check the Cafe for any other patrons or even an open window. She notices me doing the same and seems to put something together, her fist plopping into her open palm.

"This is her?" Ann-san turns to Amamiya-san. He nods and she slaps his arm lightly. "You didn't mention that the new hire was also the girl who can see palaces!"

"Must have slipped my mind is all," Amamiya-san replies, popping an eyebrow with an amused look on his face. "I thought it'd be nice for everyone to form their own opinion of her before they knew about her abilities." Ann-san glares at him a little longer, but then she sighs and her features relax.

"You're lucky I love you, Amamiya Ren. You almost gave me a heart attack." Amamiya-san raises his arms in surrender and she waves it off with a hand. 

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you again, since Ren didn't bother to mention his part-timer is also the girl with unique abilities. As it looks like our little secret is out, and Ren's feeling cavalier about that secret," Ann-san shoots him a glare, "I'm Panther of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts." Ann winks.

"It's um... a pleasure to meet you, P...," I stop myself, correcting the name. "Ann-san." 

"Likewise. Now..." Ann-san stands up, brushing off her dress. "Ren's going to be absolutely insufferable until we can properly catch up, so I'm thinking I might as well get that over with." Ann-san's tone absolutely doesn't match what she's saying, I can hear the flirtatiousness in it. Amamiya-san answers my next question without breaking eye contact with Ann-san. 

"I think we're going to close up early tonight, so you can head on out now."

"Roger that," I sigh, having already started to gather my things. "I'll see you tomorrow Amamiya-san, and hope to see you again soon Ann-san." 

"I'll be around, I stay with Ren whenever I'm in town," Ann-san says. She has the decency to look at me as she talks, but her arm is definitely wandering around Amamiya-san's back. I still give her a quick smile though, as seeing more of Ann-san sounds nice. She's really kind, and easy to talk to. 

"I'll see you tomorrow then too, Ann-san." I open the door to the cafe and make a show of flipping the open sign to closed. I hear a thump from inside and kick the door closed without looking inside, afraid of what I might see. I sigh and look up at the sky in exasperation. Above me, I spot Morgana, perched on the roof of the building across the street. 

"Let me guess..." he starts but I put up a hand.

"I guarantee that's exactly what they're doing," I reply in a deadpan. Morgana rolls his eyes. "Would you like to come to my Aunt's place? As long as she doesn't catch wind of you it shouldn't be a problem." The look Morgana gives me is like I ordered him a plate of high-end sushi.

"You're a lifesaver...!" I laugh as Morgana hops down beside me and we make our way from the Cafe. 

\---

My Aunt never ended up coming home, so Morgana ended up staying the night at my apartment. It was a little odd, having someone to talk to. Odd, but nice. He was oddly insistent I get to sleep at an earlier hour than I normally do, but I marked that off as typical Morgana eccentricity. The bigger surprise was Morgana staying snug in my sling bag as I passed the Cafe on my way to school the next morning. 

"We're back at the Cafe Morgana," I say as I slide my bag around to the front so I can unzipper it fully. Morgana shoots a glance to the door and shrugs. 

"Trust me, they're still catching up. I'll just tag along with you to school."

"What, to school?" Morgana yawns disinterestedly.

"Yeah, I used to do that every day with Ren. Trust me."

Did Ren use... to bring Morgana to school every day? I sigh and restore my bag to my back. It's too early to argue with Morgana. He's far too stubborn even when I'm fully awake and I'm really, really not at the moment. Letting him have his way, I continue my dreary morning drudge to school. 

\---

Morgana's slipped into the book drawer of my desk before I even realized, let alone anyone else in the room. I have half a mind to tell him to get out of there, but Ushimaru-sensei makes his way in for first period.

"Wow. He's still here?" Morgana mutters. 

"Did he teach Amamiya-san too?" I ask quietly. 

"Well, he didn't so much teach Ren as..."

"WHOSE TALKING?!" A piece of chalk whizzes past my ear and I yelp. "If you're so talkative this morning, why don't you explain to us what happened at the end of the warring states era?" Some of my classmate's chuckle as I'm forced to stand and thankfully, recite an answer I already know. I sit down quickly, hiding my face in my propped-up textbook.

"Yeah, Ushimaru hasn't changed. Pretty much just threw a lot of chalk." 

"...Ren could always dodge them though," Morgana adds wryly. I pinch his tail and he shuts up for the rest of class.

\--- 

I make my way to lunch with my bag over my shoulder, giving Morgana somewhere to hide as I make my way to the courtyard. The weather's still touch and go, so I'm thinking it will be less crowded than the cafeteria. My hunch is right, and I can settle into the benches by the vending machines without any onlookers.

"So you'd just... sit in Amamiya-san's desk, all day?"

"Yeah. Nothing better to do during the day."

"Couldn't you have... scoped out things, or... done cat things while he was in class?"

"First of all, I'm not a cat," Morgana says with a little hiss. He sighs though, his tone relaxing again. "And I learned a lot too, to be honest. When I first met Ren, I had... thought I had amnesia. I had a really limited knowledge of the world. It turns out I'm... Not exactly human, so I never had any memories to recover, but doing homework with Ren caught me up real quick."

"Wow... Morgana, I had no idea..." Morgana laughs.

"Why would you? It's not something that comes up in normal conversation." Morgana winks at me from inside the bag. I can't help but smile, if only because he looks like a cat and he winked, how cute is that? 

"I don't think there's ever a normal conversation when a cat is involved," I tease. He pouts and is about to take the bait when I hear a voice coming around the bend.

"Is that...?" Morgana's too slow and around the corner comes Principal Kawakami. "My oh my, I haven't seen that cat in ages..." the principal looks over to me as Morgana slips into my bag. "You however, are not the owner of that cat, are you?"

"Uh, umm!" I stutter out. I stand awkwardly and my water bottle drops to the floor. Principal Kawakami laughs.

"Relax. I won't bust you. I didn't bust Amamiya-kun back in the day either." 

"It's true," Morgana chimes in from the bag. "She's not you know... in the loop, but she helped Ren out a lot back in the day." 

Easy for him to say, he's not talking to his Principal! The only thoughts on my mind are not pissing off the Principal of the school I just transferred to, especially if that means I'll have to move to another relative's place. Although... a panic attack in front of her probably won't go over well either. She's surprisingly patient as I take a few deep breaths.

"I um... Work for Amamiya-san, at his Cafe. Morgana tagged along with me when I went home last night, and I brought him with me so when I go to work this afternoon I can drop him off."

"Amazing," the Principal says. She hands me the water bottle I dropped. "I haven't seen Morgana apart from Amamiya-kun since I was his homeroom teacher. He's a smart little devil, that one." I catch Morgana preening at the compliments out of the corner of my eye. "You must have impressed him somehow." My mind flits back to the alternate world and my abilities to see... metaverse doorways or whatever Morgana called them last. 

"Yeah, I uh... Must have brewed the coffee well yesterday." I shift awkwardly. That sounds more believable than the truth, even if it's a weak excuse.

"Oh, are you learning from Amamiya-kun?" I nod in response. "Heeeh. I'll have to make a trip over there, it's been a while. Still at the place with that ridiculous blue door?" Principal Kawakami smiles at me and I finally feel like I'm not going to be in trouble. 

"Yeah, it's quite the talking point. Everyone asks him about it, but he never gives a real answer."

"One of his many, many secrets." the Principal sighs. "I think he enjoys being an enigma." She has no idea how true that is. "Anyway, go ahead and finish your lunch. I don't care if Morgana slips in your bag, but if you get caught I'm not covering for you, okay?" 

"Y, yes! Thank you!" I bow awkwardly. 

"See you next time, cat," the Principal winks at Morgana and makes her way out of the courtyard.

"..."

"..."

"Holy crap," I breathe out, plopping onto the bench. "How exactly did Amamiya-san and the Principal know each other? She talks about him like an old friend!"

"It's a... very long story, and I'm pretty sure Kawakami would kill me if I told you," Morgana meows from my bag. "You could always try and get it out of Ren."

"As the Principal said, when is Amamiya-san ever going to give up one of his secrets?"

"Mwhehe. You're catching on!" I groan and kick my bag lightly. 

\---

The rest of my day, thankfully, goes by without any more Morgana related drama. Asides from the Principal apparently knowing his game, the rest of my teachers old and new had no idea he was loafing around in my desk all day. The rest of my classmates didn't even seem to notice, which was all the more impressive. The upside of my seat being in the back row I suppose. I don't want to push my luck though so I make a quick exit and head to the Cafe. 

The bell on the door chimes softly as I step into Cafe Arsene. Amamiya-san waves in greeting from behind the counter. There's a man at the counter as well, along with customers in two of the booths. I make my way to the back, putting my bag on the coat rack by the apartment stairs and grabbing my designated apron from off the hook. I turn to check on Morgana but he's wiggling himself out as I tie the strings on my apron.

"So that's where you've been Morgana," Amamiya-san says. "Hanging out with our part-timer, are we?"

"Well, it was too awkward to be here!" Morgana meows back. "You're lucky I pay attention to Ann's schedule too, or else you'd have me interrupting and neither of us wants that!" Amamiya smirks at Morgana. I'm positive this isn't the first time they've had this argument.

"Hope he didn't bother you," Amamiya turns to me as I join him in drying dirty glassware.

"I didn't quite know what I was getting into," Morgana yowls in protest, and I stick my tongue out at him, "but he was good company most of the time."

"I gotta say though, Shujin really hasn't changed much," Morgana says as he curls up on one of the coffee bean shelves. "Though, guess whose Principal now? Kawakami." 

"She always liked teaching. I'm surprised Kawakawi was willing to move up the ladder," Amamiya-san hums in surprise. 

"You... knew her well?" I ask.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, she was my homeroom teacher."

"She... happened to spot Morgana, and recognized him pretty much immediately. She said she'll have to swing by at some point when I mentioned the Cafe."

"It has been a while..." I put the last cleaned glass down and try to lean casually against the counter. 

"So... How did she know about Mor-" I'm cut off as Amamiya-san's phone rings. He lifts it out of his pocket and checks the caller id. 

"Sorry, one second," he says to me before stepping over to the staircase for a little bit of privacy in the small Cafe. As he leaves I can hear him say Ann-san's so I'm sure she's the one who called. I sigh and put glasses away, watching him talk out of the corner of my eye. Nothing seems to be wrong, at the very least, so that much is good. I was worried it'd be Phantom Thieves business and Amamiya-san would have to leave the Cafe in my hands. He makes his way back over to me after a few minutes.

"So... We're going to close up shop again."

"Again?" I say in an utter deadpan before my mind can stop me. Amamiya-san's amusement shows on his face though, so I'm not worried about being in trouble for snarking my boss. 

"While the same reasons would be enjoyable..." He smirks and I flush a little. His self-confidence is enviable, though I wish he used it for something other than teasing. "That was Ann just now, the assistants that were supposed to show up at her photoshoot today called out last minute. I've helped out on shoots before, so she just called me that."

"That said..." Morgana drawls from above us.

"That said, you'll see why having two sets of hands would be better than one when we get there," Amamiya-san finishes. Morgana and I sigh in unison, something I hope doesn't become a habit. 

"So I'm the other set of hands?" Amamiya-san nods. "Well..." Considering its Ann-san who needs the help, and I'll get the chance to see a professional photo shoot happen, and I have... nothing else to do, I shrug. "Okay." 

\---

We closed up shop quickly and made our way via train to a photo studio in Harajuku. I follow behind Amamiya-san, wishing I had time to be wearing something other than a school uniform. I feel way too much like a student on a field trip dress the way I do in such a fashionable place. Morgana's ooing and aahing at all the different models lounging about from inside Amamiya-san's bag. I just stand out like a sore thumb. Amamiya-san barely says a word to the desk clerk before she waves him off to the elevators. I shoot him a look as we call the elevator.

"This is... not the first time I've been called to help out."

"Ann-san should get some more reliable staff then." Amamiya-san chuckles softly. 

"That's what it is, yeah..."

The elevator dings and takes us up to the 8th floor. The doors open to a beautiful set of a royal ballroom, going so far as to include a grand staircase in the middle of the set. There are people hustling all over the room, some dressed in causal wear while a few are in absolutely stunning gowns and tuxedos. The shoot must be for formal wear. 

There's a waving hand from the center of the room and Amamiya-san nods his head in that direction. We both make our way through the crowd towards Ann-san, dressed to kill. Her hair is down today, beautifully framing her face. Her dress is a crimson red that screams elegance and a hint of danger. As soon as I take in her smile I can tell she's still Ann-san under that though, which relaxes the pressure building in my chest being around so many beautiful people.

Speaking of... The male models in the room all seem to have beat a hasty retreat for other parts of the room when Amamiya-san approached. If it was a simple case of them hitting on Ann-san I'd understand, but they seem disappointed about something. I glance over at Amamiya-san. He's... well, older than anyone I'd be interested in, but he's definitely a striking figure. I'm not sure if I think that just because I know he's also, and I quote, "Teen Heartthrob of the Decade" Joker though. 

"You look stunning Ann," Amamiya-san says, leaning forward for a kiss. Ann-san puts up a finger to stop his lips from touching her own.

"You know the drill Ren, the less time I have to spend in wardrobe and makeup fixing what you ruffle the better," she says lightly. He makes a face and she winks. "Later I'll make it up to you, okay? Be good for once." They exchange a look that I'm sure says a lot more than I can understand. 

"Ren dragged you along, huh?" Ann-san turns to me.

"Yeah, he said two pairs of hands would be better than one. Though..." I look about the room. There must be a dozen assistants on this floor alone. "I thought the assistants called out...?"

"Ah, about that..." Ann trails off as a man in a beret approaches us. He makes a beeline straight for Amamiya-san.

"My boy! Since you coincidentally happen to be here, how would you like the once in a lifetime chance to model with your stunning?" Amamiya-san has a wry smile on his face. 

"I suppose I must now," he replies dryly.

"You know, you could save us a lot of time and effort if you'd accept our calls," The director adds with an exasperated look on his face.

"Ann's the model, not me. I'm just a simple cafe owner."

"Not with those looks, let's go and get you to wardrobe," the director drags Amamiya off to a room connected to the set. My thoughts escape my lips before I even realize. 

"What..." 

"I guess he didn't tell you then?" Ann laughs lightly. "Ever since the director of this magazine saw Ren and I together, he comes up with ridiculous excuses for me to call Ren to the set so Ren will model with me. The theatrics are just a game the two of them play."

"Huh..." I mumble. 

"Don't let him fool you, Amamiya Ren may not look like he loves the spotlight, but his... true self", Ann winks and I nod that I got what she was implying, "loves it. The first time was actually an emergency and he was a last-minute stand-in but... I think he got addicted to it and isn't willing to admit it."

"Amamiya-san and his many, many secrets huh?" My quote makes Ann laugh again.

"You sound like one of our old teachers."

"Did... you and Amamiya-san both have Principal Kawakami then?" Ann stops adjusting her gloves to look over at me wide-eyed.

"She's PRINCIPAL now? Good for her! How'd you know she was our homeroom teacher?"

"I brought Morgana to school with me yesterday and he got spotted," Ann chuckles and returns to adjusting her outfit.

"Takamaki-san, who's this?" one of the assistants asks from behind a camera.

"Oh, she works for Ren and came along to assist!" Ann-san calls over.

"We were going to do some solos while Amamiya-san gets dressed, is that alright?" Feeling awkward for holding up the shoot, I nod quickly in the direction of the assistant.

"You'll be alright hanging out here?" Ann-san asks before I can scamper away.

"I'll be fine Ann-san, no worries. Just don't want to be in the way." Ann smiles wryly at me. 

"I'm the one who gets to decide if you're in the way though. Don't let them convince you otherwise, okay?" Ann-san winks at me and I give her a big nod in return. I don't know if it's the dress or the setting but Ann-san is thriving as the center of attention in the room. As I step behind the cameras she's already moving between poses and calling out suggestions as she thinks of them. Every pair of eyes in the room seems captivated by her, mine included. 

I lose track of time as I watch Ann-san, and before I know it the director and Amamiya-san are back. I nearly bite my tongue when I spot Amamiya-san though, the black tailcoat looks just a bit reminiscent of his garb as Joker. He stops over and drops his bag in front of me as I stare, then jogs out to meet Ann. I pick up the bag on autopilot, knowing Morgana's been riding around inside.

An excited murmur goes through the assembled photographers and assistants. All lenses are glued on the couple, who have taken positions on the top of the fake staircase. I thought Ann-san had the attention of the whole room before, but now you could hear a pin drop as the whole room waits in anticipation for the two to move. 

Ann-san and Amamiya-san move towards each other with an energetic kickoff. They meet at the top of the stairs, their hands entwining with one another. They hold a pose before making to split apart, though they're still connected by held hands. They pause again, giving the photographers enough time to photograph the pose before moving again.

The photographers around me are whispering under their breath as they frantically take photos of the couple. Some of them are simply cheering on Ann-san and Amamiya-san, things like 'great work' or 'what a pose' while others are thanking the heavens they got this opportunity. I can understand why they'd say that though. Ann-san and Amamiya-san seem to know exactly where the peak motion is in every action they take, pausing right at the moment of tension between them. Even as they separate for poses, the distance between them is somehow interesting and tells a story. One photographer actually slides across the floor under the other's lenses, aiming to get a shot from the opposite of the scene. That's dedication if you ask me. 

Whatever dance the two are performing picks up the pace. They move across, up, and even down the stairs to make different poses. If it wasn't for the pausing, I'd swear I was watching a movie. The director of the shoot is the only one to call out instructions, though they're far and few in between. He reminds them to be sure to show off the outfits and reminds the photographers to remember to photograph the outfits as well as their portraits. A couple of the photographers laugh awkwardly. I crack a smile. Busted. While the whole thing is going on, the assistant from before comes up beside me. 

"Hey, can I ask you a favor?" he asks. 

"Um... Sure, I came here to help out. If I can help, happy to." 

"I'm running lens caddy for three of the photographers, but I forgot to get the 150mm 1.4 one of them likes from the rental station on the first floor. If you could run down and ask the clerk for it, you'll save my ass."

"Sure, I can handle that," I reply as I slide the straps of the Morgana bag onto my shoulder with a nod. 

"Just tell them it's for Tarada-san and they'll give it to you. Thanks!" The assistant then runs off to provide a lens he had in his pocket to one of the photographers. 

I take a last look at Ann-san and Amamiya-san before heading to the elevator. A short ride later, I'm on the first floor and can see the room across the hall labeled Rentals. It's a quick exchange with the clerk there, as soon as I said Tarada-san the clerk pulled out a box from under the counter. 

"I was surprised he hasn't come down for it yet," the clerk laughs. "Better hurry, he loves that thing."

I nod in thanks and make my way to the clerk. The elevator wasn't called while I was in the rental shop, a lucky break, so I can hop right it. I press the 8th-floor button and adjust the strap's on my bag. Just as the doors start closing, a foot stops them from closing. 

I look up to see a man older than Amamiya-san for sure, wearing a backpack and a button-up shirt with a camera around his neck. He looks... slightly less professional than the other photographers like that, but something else about him raises the hairs on my neck. I'm not sure what it is. I glance at his eyes, wondering if they're yellow like that teacher's, but his sunglasses obscure them. 

"Sorry about that," He says. I nod as if speaking would let him steal my voice. I step to the opposite side of the elevator, to put space between us. I hope he doesn't realize why though. Morgana's bag comes around my front and I hold it close to my chest as he presses the button for floor five and the doors close. 

It feels like a longer ride than it is, but the man says nothing else to me and only flicks a few buttons on the back of his camera. Morgana has wiggled his way to the top of the bag, where the opening is and peaks out. Whatever complaint he had about being squeezed doesn't come out though, he ends up staring at the man too as the door for floor five opens. The man walks out without a word, but I have to cover my mouth as I gasp. The fifth floor, immediately outside the elevator has the wall of purplish haze I saw at the cram school. 

"Tell Ren and Ann Ueda is here, and bring them down to this floor," Morgana says with his eyes locked on mine. He leaps out of the bag with a red and black card in his mouth after the man. 

The door closes in slow motion as if to give something in the haze an opportunity to reach out and pull me in. When it does click shut, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and slump against the back wall.

The elevator dings and I almost fall out in my rush to deliver Morgana's message. I do just that, only stopped by the assistant who takes the box off my hands and sprints off to a red-faced photographer whose yelling at him. There's a bell that rings through the whole set as I make it to the line of photographers, and the room bursts out into chatter and applause. 

I can see Amamiya-san and Ann-san at the base of the stairs, taking a quick bow. They both look sweaty, probably from the lights and the moving around the set. Someone comes up to them with towels and water which they both take as they make their way over to me. I jog up to them, so I can get to them before anyone else does. 

"Amamiya-san, there's a um... problem with the other job," I whisper, keeping my voice low just in case that towel person has good ears. He gives me an odd look, though one that's deadly serious. "Morgana sent me to tell you Ueda is here, on the fifth floor." Ann-san's expression beside him sharpens in an instant. She spins on a heel, calling out to the director who's on his way over to us. 

"Director, we're going to show our guest around the studio! We'll be back shortly!" Ann-san says quickly and brightly. It's quick enough the director doesn't think to argue as Ann-san and Amamiya-san make their way to the elevator. I follow after them if only to keep their cover intact. The elevator wasn't far off, so we're quickly alone inside of it. 

"Finally! I was running out of ways to coordinate shoots in this particular building!" Ann-san says as she stretches her arms. 

"Who... is Ueda?"

"A target of the Phantom Thieves," Amamiya-san says. He has that Joker expression on his face again, with the mischievous eyes and the smug grin. I quickly look back to Ann-san. She takes that as asking for elaboration, which I don't mind. 

"A total creep who's been sneaking into gravure model shoots, taking borderline explicit photos, and blackmailing the models. We've been on to him for a while, but his cognition..." Ann trails off, then restarts. "Basically, he thinks he can't get caught unless he's in the building so we haven't been able to steal his heart unless he's in the building."

"That... That can happen?" 

Amamiya-san nods. 

"I've had my friends on the staff here keeping an eye out for me, but he's been real sneaky, and then I had to be in Okinawa..." Ann's red-gloved hand clenches into a fist. "I'm so ready to take this son of a bitch down!" 

As if answering Ann-san's wishes, the elevator door opens. Amamiya-san speaks into his phone as he walks forward, and the three of us are consumed by the haze. I close my eyes as I walk through, peeking through one eye after we've walked a few steps. 

Before me is Joker once again, adjusting his red gloves with a mischievous look on his face. Next to him is Ann-san in a striking red catsuit, of all things, a panther mask adorning her face. She stretches her whole body out now, almost like a cat would. Her hair is back in pigtails like it was the day I met her. 

Before us was a mansion with gaudy, erotic decorations. In front of the main walkway is a statue of a woman in a bunny outfit, which only leads me to believe the indoor decorations will be worse. Most of the windows are stain glass depictions of women in similar outfits, all posing for what... looks like security cameras. Regardless, it's a creepy place and I'm happy to be on the absolute border of it. Behind me is the hazy wall that forms the border of the place. 

Mona comes jogging up from the direction of the manor. I'm... not sure, but I think his mascot form feet are moving in cartoonish spirals but... I blink and he's just hopping. It... must be a quirk of this place. He nods to Joker and Panther.

"Calling Card delivered. He definitely saw it," Then Mona reaches one his little paw... hands? out to me. In it is a small yellow earpiece.

"I keep spares in my collar," he says proudly. I don't have the heart to tell him no brag about his cat collar will sound impressive. Not to mention hidden earpieces are more spy than a thief to me. 

"What do I need this for?"

"For the sake of our cover, better you stay at the entrance rather than go back," Joker says. "We each have an earpiece as well, so if you see anything moving in this place other than us, you let us know and escape back to reality." Joker pauses in thought. "I'm assuming you can see the border of the palace here too?"

"Yeah, I can."

"Interesting," Joker says and I shiver at the look he gives me. 

"Don't do that," Panther barks as she whacks Joker on the shoulder. "You're saying that like you're looking at new a toy to play with, you'll scare her." Panther then turns to me. "We haven't spotted any shadows out here, so you should be okay. We already found our infiltration route for this place, so it shouldn't be long."

"Um... Roger that, A... Panther-san." Panther smiles at me and winks. 

"You don't have to use honorifics, after all, we are criminals," she quips. Behind her Joker grins that wild smile of his. 

"Lead the way Joker," Mona chimes in, and the three of them dash off towards the manor. Rather than go in the massive front door, they leap up the side of the building, putting the best parkour artists I've seen on youtube to shame without how quickly they do so. They dive in an already opened window and I lose sight of them.

Despite... being swept into a dimension that's contained entirely inside a creep's head, it's oddly... boring. I look around, avoiding eye contact with the rather provocative statue, and try to spot anything dangerous before it spots me. There doesn't seem to be anything. 

"Celestine!" crackles through my earpiece in Panther's voice. I cover my mouth to hush the shriek of surprise.

"Who's that?!" I whip my head back and forth, looking for whoever that is.

"Oh, that's the name of my Persona," Panther says over the comms. 

"You're what?"

"Oh, we never did explain that, did we?" Mona's voice comes on.

"Sraosha!" echoes out in Joker's voice, followed by "Ravage them!" which is only slightly terrifying to hear. Panther sighs. 

"You guys... A Persona is like, a manifestation of your spirit. I'm actually... not the best one to ask, but they give us our abilities in the cognitive world. Totally harmless!" Panther trails off. "Well, to you. We do fight shadows with them."

"I... sort of guessed when Joker commanded his to ravage them."

"What can I say, Joker's... his true self when he's in the middle of a heist," Panther's laugh echos through the comm.

The line goes quiet asides from the occasional persona summoning from the three Thieves in combat. My curiosity tickled by the idea of getting some answers about what this place is, I decided to speak up on the comms again.

"So... If it won't be too distracting, can I ask some questions?"

"Go ahead! This guy's a small fry," Panther replies.

"Before, Joker called the other palace a mini palace... Is this a full-size one?" 

"Definitely not," Mona says. "The size of the palace is based on how distorted the ruler's cognition is. This guy is small-time, so this would be a mini palace."

"What's a big palace?"

"I don't know if you followed much of our early targets, but most of them were big-time. Masayoshi Shido, Ichiryuusai Madarame, that shit head Kamoshida..." Panther trails off with a huff. "We don't see a lot of large palaces anymore. If you do, we usually do the whole big-time calling card thing."

"Where you hack tv broadcasts?"

"The Futaba Cannon, as it's officially called," Joker adds.

"Huh. Have you just... cleared out all the big-time targets, or...?" 

"Ha! I wish. They're just rarer than these small fry targets. Someone of this caliber didn't use to form a palace, but that changed after Mementos disappeared," Panther takes over again. 

"Huh?"

"Agidyne!" Panther shouts. "Oh, there used to be this thing called Mementos. Kinda like... everyone's subconscious in one giant subway system where all these small-time guys would carve out a corner for their corrupted selves."

"...O, oh."

"That disappeared when we killed the god that powered it though," Joker adds in a nonchalant manner.

"You, You killed a GOD?!" I shout, despite talk over the earpiece. There's suddenly a rumble like an earthquake that shakes the entire manor and the ground under my feet. I look around for any god I might have offended. 

"A few actually. But get ready, we're coming back," Joker says. 

I look over to the manor to see a black van with... cat features on it launching off the roof. Not even questioning that one, it speeds towards me. Just before it gets to me, in a puff of smoke it transforms into Mona and releases Joker and Panther. The two sprint towards me and I turn myself, stepping into the waiting elevator. Behind them, the entire manor is crumbling into pieces, and the ground we're on is falling into an endless abyss below. Panther barrels her way into the elevator and Joker slides in right behind her while Mona dives into my arms. I catch him, and in a blink of an eye the haze is gone and the three of us are standing in the elevator like everything we just saw never happened. 

Morgana crawls up onto my shoulder and into the bag I was still carrying, while Amamiya-san and Ann-san look over their outfits. 

"Another mission cleared, huh guys?" Morgana asks.

"Not quite," Ann says in a surprisingly hard-edged tone. She presses the door open button and the fifth floor is revealed on the other side of the elevator door. She marches into a studio that's setup like... well like the images I've seen of love hotels online. There's another swarm of photographers like upstairs, all vying for photos of a woman in lingerie on the bed of the set. 

"I'd say don't tell your Aunt..." Amamiya-san shrugs beside me. "But from what you've said she wouldn't listen anyway."

"If she's around to hear it," I mutter in agreement as we follow after Ann-san. The click of her stiletto heels on the tile floor seems to literally part the crowd. She makes her way up to, I recognize at the last moment, the man I saw in the elevator with Morgana. Ann-san grabs his shoulder and twists him around.

"Hey. What magazine are you from? Where's your ID tag?" she calls out loudly. The sound of shutters fades out as the entire room turns to face the two.

"What's it to you?" The man can't meet her eyes, instead muttering into his camera.

"I asked where your ID tag is? Who let you up here without one?" Ann-san says again, even louder. 

"I uh, left it at the front desk let me go get that..." He says and tries to shift past Ann-san. She shifts, preventing him from leaving.

"If you've been taking photos without an ID, you'll need to hand over the memory cards you have on you. She," Ann-san nods in the direction of the model whose watching this exchange with wide eyes, "signed on to be photographed by specific magazines and photographers and any photos you've taken were without consent." 

I catch a glimpse of Ann-san's expression as she's telling Ueda off. There's a fire, a passion in her eyes I haven't quite seen before. It's different than when she was getting cozy with Amamiya-san, or when she was under the spotlights. She radiates strength in a way that makes me feel like confront Ueda too, like she's a light in a dark room. Her features are warm and inviting to me, yet seem to be striking terror into Ueda. If I had to compare to anything, it's like the Panther expression to Amamiya-san's Joker face.

"I, I, I don't have to give you a damn thing!" Ueda's panicked and in a bid to get away from everyone's gazes he makes to throw a punch at Ann-san. I gasp, glancing to Amamiya-san whose... only watching with his Joker grin in place. I glance back to witness Ann-san flipping Ueda onto his face with his own momentum. With a quick spin that flares her dress beautifully, she jams a stiletto heel into Ueda's back and he howls. 

"Ren, can you call the cops? I think we've finally found the guy sneaking photos of the girls here," Ann-san says with a gleaming smile. Amamiya-san nods and everyone in the room bursts into conversation and even some applause.

\---

It's chaotic, but security takes away Ueda and after confirming that he did have illicit photos of the model on his camera, Ann-san is satisfied with security holding him until the cops arrive. While Ann-san gives a short recap of what Ueda is to the police, I get a quick moment with Amamiya-san.

"If we um... did that whole thing on the elevator..." Amamiya nods, catching my drift. "Why did he still need to be stopped and arrested?"

"That kind of thing takes time is all," Amamiya-san says. "By the time the police have him in an interrogation room, he'll be confessing left and right."

"I see..." Ann-san catches up to us at that point.

"I had them call for Makoto's department specifically, so I think we're all set on this one!" Amamiya-san smiles at her then leans forward to peck Ann-san on the lips.

"Ren! I said be good!" Ann-san laughs as they separate. 

"We're going to have to go back to wardrobe anyway, aren't we?"

"Well... when you put it that way..." Ann-san leans in and presses another kiss to Amamiya-san's lips. Morgana and I share a look and sigh. 

\---  
\---

Huge shout out to everyone who commented on this story, you have no idea how much that means to me (^_^) I was really worried about how this POV would work and I'm so glad so many people have liked it! 

I thought the word count of the last one got away from me! I blame how much easier it is when Ann's involved, Rens's far less of a talker. XD Speaking of Ann, every single time I had to write "Ann-san" I wrote Ann because it's so quick and easy and Morgana/Ren call her by her name without honorific, this chapter was filled with backspacing to fix that!

While this chapter has earned the fic its Ren X Ann tag, it'll be more background as we go forward. My goal is to give each of the Thieves (and maybe some others!) the chance to interact heavily with our MC, and if Ren and Ann keep stealing the show that'll be really hard to do lol. Although, if you have questions about what Ann's up to nowadays, be sure to ask them. I'll work in the answers whenever I can ^^

Fun fact, the entire section with Morgana tagging along to school was ad hoc! Tell me what you thought of a little screen time for Morgana mid-chapter, as it's much like the rest of this story an experiment


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